


Where my Heart Belongs

by Sadestar



Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Adorable, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Fluff, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Husbands, Imprisonment, M/M, PTSD, Pain, Sequal pending, Talk about your feelings, elf husbands, fucking GAY, lots of happy tears, not too much angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:53:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,160
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23164300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadestar/pseuds/Sadestar
Summary: Runaan never feared death, but this? was this worse than death? Its hard to tell anything from inside his coin prison. It certainly was strange and painful, in a lot of ways.Outside of his imprisonment, Viren appears to always keep his coin pouch of prisoners on hand, what happens when it falls off during battle? You know the one.I JUST WANTED THESE ADORABLE GAYS TO BE HAPPY TOGETHER. Cannon divergent directly after season 3 finale. Spoilers inside.EDIT-- There is now a 3rd chapter. I was going to have it in the next story but it fit too well here. Also upped the rating. More Feels. A(n explicit) sequal is in the works.
Relationships: Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 130





	1. Imprisonment, Freedom

Runaan's last memory was a scream, his own scream, and terror on his face that he never thought he could produce in the face of an enemy. He was a proud moon shadow assassin, and yet, despite his best efforts, he cracked under the pressure. 

It was pain that broke him, but not physically. She was being warped into something unnatural, and now he only knew of one thing and his consciousness kept repeating the agony of his entrapment. He had no idea how long this went on for. 

There was no concept of days, hours, minutes, seconds. No time where he was kept, and yet, it was exhausting. He felt as though he were chained to the wall in the dungeon but he couldn’t feel the wall or the chains. His body was stretched taut to his bindings but at the same time he couldn’t find where any of his limbs ended in the strange darkness. Eventually he realized he was no longer screaming. 

When he finally came to, and his ears finally cleared of the ringing from his own screams, he tried to get a grasp on his situation. He found he couldn’t really feel anything, physically, but his mind was present and he could sense others around him, even if it was faint. 

He felt fatigue, a tiredness in a way that could not be described by words to anyone, no matter the language. Despite it though, he felt his surroundings settle around him a bit. He expanded his efforts of trying to sense anything beyond where he was now, but it simply grew darker the further he reached. As he stretched his senses he felt his limbs again, faintly, 3 sets of cold pain seeping through what felt like his bones, and one of raging fire. The binding must still be on his arm, but he could tell it was no longer tightening. He didn't know what to make of this. 

His abilities wore thin and fuzzy, and he soon lost the grip he had on his senses, falling back into that blasted nothing-ness that haunted his every motion and thought. The absence of it all, including his pain and screams.

He had been trained not to fear death. But was this worse than death? An eternal reliving of his entrapment? He thought that initial trapping pain would last forever but now he had calmed down and felt the panic fade, the pain, the struggling. His pain ebbed, but that was the only thing he could really feel. Was he calming down, was he dying? He couldn't tell. 

After a while, he felt defeat crawl back into his bones, he felt a shift in his surroundings. He was in a coin now, he knew that, so he figured he must be around other coins containing trapped elves. But something in the latest shift just changed everything, because the sensations of those around him were _familiar._

A whisper of a thought at the far ends of his ability to sense were just out of reach but he reached out anyway, the faint strumming of a soul nearby and familiar in a way he could never tell before. He reached and reached and reached, and finally, after who-knows-how-long, after his greatest efforts of stretching, he felt the strangest sensation of another thought touching his consciousness. Like the feather light touch of a hand against his arm, but mentally.

"Tiadrin..." 

Runaan's shock exploded through his whole being at the recognition of the voice. One of his closest friends, calling out to another of his closest friends. They were still alive! He reached out as far as he could but just when he felt within reach, the world around him shifted again and he fell away, back into the isolated hollow he had learned of as his new prison. 

Agitated he heard his screaming return, cried of pain and agony now stronger than before, the pain of loss. His friends weren't dead. They're trapped like he was. He knew now, they stayed, they fought, they were honorable elves punished for something they didn't do. Back home, their lotuses didn’t fall at first because they didn’t die, they didn’t run. They were trapped, as he was now. 

Lotus flowers… the thought threw his mind towards Rayla. She was probably still alive, but she would be given the same treatment. He knew that she had the egg, that she was returning to Xadia, and what her welcome back will look like if she made it. That thought hurt. 

More than ever now, a new agony wracked through his body. His lotus probably sank too. Ethari won’t know the difference, Runaan was dead to the world. The through of Ethari’s pain at seeing this was what hurt, what made his entire being burn. _This_ was a pain and fear worse than death. With nothing else to hold onto, Runaan let himself wallow in the agony and sorrow that engulfed him until he felt his surroundings grow dark again. There's nothing he can do now. Not from here. 

\---

The next time Runaan felt, he felt jostled, moved about, swishing and crashing and being thrown every which way. He felt the movement of his prison before. But not like this. This was different. 

While he fell Runaan threw out all his senses as far as they will reach. His mind flew into a frenzied calm that helped him focus, and he could just pick up the sounds of screaming and clanging. The feeling was familiar, the feeling of working on a mission, the feeling of running into what could be a battle. There was a battle, a large battle. It took him a moment to realize that conflict was surging around him. That was where this frenzied movement came from.

While he was stretching out, he could feel some of the other trapped elves. The other elves were reacting, not all in the same way to the change of their environment. But a set of two consciousness, incredibly in sync with one another, reaching similar to him. He felt them react first to their surroundings, then one-another, as though just realizing they were side by side still. And then realizing that something huge was happening far outside their control. 

There was a lot of banging and clashing and Runaan could practically taste the dark magic built up in the mage he remained bound next to, but something, he wasn't sure what, changed when he felt a strange motion that sent him flying. There was a long sensation of free-falling, of weightlessness that tore him away from the mage, along with the others. Their confinements where still closed at least, so he still had the other trapped elves with him. He tried to reach out, but the second he felt the ground catch up he knew that miniscule hope wouldn't last. 

The bag must have busted open, and he was thrown out, away from others, being discarded and trampled upon by warriors and monsters who were fighting and struggling. There was nothing that could be done by him, but he now witnesses, even in fragments, the battle before him. 

He screamed and kicked and threw everything he had into the raging field. He did anything, anything to be noticed, recognized, picked up and changed from the situation that he was stuck in. He had to get back, he had to complete his mission, he had to make it home. 

He struggled for a long time until he felt the battle die off, but continued to fight even as he felt the deep seated fatigue that would eventually drag him under. The one that numbed him as though death were swallowing him whole. 

And just when all hope was lost, he felt a new shift. Tired and losing hope, he looked up, feeling the same wall and chains he was bound to returning to his senses, and looking up he finally saw something, someone. In the light outside of the bag his vision had been blurred but now started to come into focus, and he laid eyes on.... a child. A young human girl who was looking at him inquisically. 

He screamed and struggled against his bindings again at this tiny hope. Thrashing against this prison cell, and he knew not what his future would provide, but if this one child could change anything…. Anything…. 

His consciousness dimmed again, his struggling ebbs, and he could barely feel much as the new owner of his coin shifted him around. He felt the cold hands of a magicless human, but then the warm hands of a magic filled elf. He tried to focus, but as he continued to fight for his freedom, his efforts sluggish, he was more and more exhausted by everything. He knew his body was all but broken, and now he felt his mental state fading as well. 

It was scary. He would never show fear but now he’s been throughout wracked with emotional torutre he couldn't put into words. He was afraid, but he wouldn't give up fighting. If anything, he knew he was stubborn and would do anything to complete his mission. He did the only thing he could do at this point; hang on.

\--

When his consciousness awoke again, he was held by a strange sensation. Warm hands, but by no elf he could recognize. Storm, maybe? He heard something muddled around him and after a while, he felt the world around him shift in a new way. He clenched his eyes shut as he felt physical, burning pain flood his system. Fire, ice, and lightning pain shot through his blood and surged across the backs of his eyes. He screamed. 

He was screaming and he couldn't tell if he was even making noise. His voice was sore, raw, and he couldn't even tell anything beyond his fingertips. Before long, something warm, cool, and soothing washed over him, and when his screaming ebbed, he felt tears falling down his cheeks. 

Cheeks... he could feel his cheeks.

His eyes shot open but all he could see was white, flashes of pain striking him again the moment he tried to move. He gasped in ragged breath as he tried to get a handle on his situation. He could no longer extend his senses like he could before, he couldn't tell who was around him. He didn't know where he was or if he was in danger. Was it the dark mage again? 

A deep rumbling was the only thing he could feel for a moment, the sensation thrumming through the ground and into his bones, a steady rumbling that radiated…. not terror, but of warmth. Runaan slowly opened his eyes again, seeing blurry shades of blue and purple around him, glowing softly, and after a moment, he felt something in his left arm that caused him to recoil in pain. He sat up and clenched his arm, hissing through his teeth he clutched the dying limb and growled out his pain as it felt as though millions pricks of fire were racing through his system. 

And then he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. Looking up he finally made out the first distinct shape in front of him; Rayla. Behind her were the two princes, the boys she had been protecting before and... a dragon. A baby dragon with something in its mouth. 

"Runaan...." his gaze snapped back to Rayla and he was suddenly embraced, his arms wrapping up around her automatically and his mental strength finally shattering. He started to cry. He couldn't stop crying. His tears wouldn't stop and he just clutched onto her as though releasing her would mean returning to that torture. 

"What.... happened?" He asked, his voice sore from either lack of use or screaming. Probably both. 

She pulled back slowly and was smiling so wide he had never seen from her since before she lost her parents. Before she said anything he jerked forward. "Wait-!" His rush to use his voice caused him to cough, his whole body convulsing as he struggled to breath properly again.

Rayla gently rubbed his back and remained next to him. "One of the human kingdom’s queens found you on the battlefield in a coin, so we worked on how to release you from it. Callum had seen the dark mage use the spell to trap elves in a memory... but we managed to get you back. And we finally.... returned Zym to his mother. The dragon prince hatched and is home." She explained, tears welling up and the happiness and relief she felt. She even shifted aside to show off the dragon who had spat out the ribbon in its mouth at this point and was pawing at a glowtoad. 

"No, that... that's great but Rayla, your parents-!" More coughing forced Runaan to stop but Rayla was still smiling at him. 

"I know.” Rayla said softly. “Callum casted a spell to see history and showed me that mom and dad were brave warriors who risked everything to protect the dragon prince. They were heroes, not betrayers." 

Runaan focused on breathing for a while before sitting up and resting both hands on Rayla's shoulder. "Rayla. I know, I was with them. Whatever I was trapped in, they were too. We were bound in the same coin purse. Please tell me you found them." The shock on her face told him otherwise. 

"We.... only found you." 

The weight of those words sent Runaan's eyes downcast, but that opened a whole new set of strange feelings when he saw his left arm-- bare. 

The ribbon was gone. 

Rayla must have known what he was thinking, for he grabbed his hand with one of her own and gently caressed where the binding was killing his arm with the hand she would have lost. "The prince lives, but you needn't be bound any longer. Zym broke it for you." She said, smiling at the baby dragon who was currently playing with a glowtoad behind her. He recognized the ribbon on the ground now as the one that was his oath.

Runaan looked over his arm, it was still sore and dark from the lack of circulation, but it was returning to him. And even more, there was the baby dragon. He had heard tales that a dragon can break any spell cast by a lesser being, but had never seen it happen before. With a sigh, he finally slumped forward. 

His fatigue caught up to him and he couldn’t hold himself up anymore. He heard the people around him shout about getting him nutrients and rest even as his head lolled to the side.


	2. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Second half of the story, where the real gay begins.

When he woke next, he was in a makeshift bed, still at the queen of the dragons' lair. Rayla was nearby, as was one of the humans, and further off a few more people he didn't recognize. He could feel his strength returning, but it wasn't there yet. Regardless, he pushed himself to his feet. This gathered the attention of several people but he didn't care, and he walked to Rayla, eyes downcast.

"Runaan? What is it? You shouldn't be walking yet." She said worriedly. 

Runaan shook his head. "I'm not ready to go home to face what they have to say, but I need to go back anyway. Ethari thinks I'm dead, I need to see him." 

Rayla's eyes widened and she nodded. She got up and spoke with the human for a moment before turning back to him. "I cannot return yet but Callum can fly you there. It will be the fastest way." She said hurriedly. 

Runaan looked doubtfully over at the human who smiled sheepishly before walking outside. "C'mon, I'll show you something amazing." He said, beckoning the moon elf to follow. 

Runaan wasn't sure what he meant by that. Perhaps he was talking about a dragon? Humans probably found those to be amazing, since they are more common in Xadia than anywhere else... but in the end he wouldn't be prepared for what would happen. 

The human stood at the edge and called out words in draconic, which was weird to hear on it's own, but even more shocking was when the words turned into a spell. 

A human. Casting a spell. And now had wings. 

Callum kneeled in front of Runaan and smiled back at him. "Impressive, I know. I am the first of my kind. Climb on my back and we will be off. If you need to rest from holding on, let me know so we can take a break." 

Runaan hesitated before walking to him and gently wrapping his arms around the human mage. "Callum, was it?… Thank you." He said, relenting his pride and allowing the boy to carry him off.

While they flew, Runaan mostly rested. His left arm was still sore so he held on with his right arm for the most part, and he could feel that Callum was trying his best to make it easy to keep holding on. The flight was swift, but will still take them over a day's worth of travel, and when the night started to creep upon them, Callum started to descend to land. 

Runaan wanted nothing more to continue, but he knew it was a pointless request. He was too tired to hang on properly and Callum was probably very tired, too. Instead, they settled down under the canopy of a few trees and Callum opened up a backpack with some blankets, draping one over Runaan who had curled himself up next to one tree. 

There was a thick silence until Callum spoke up, hesitantly, as though he wasn't sure if he should. "Ethari will he happy to see you.... the whole village, probably." 

His husband's name caused Runaan's head to snap up and he instinctively reached for the pendant that he kept around his neck. It wasn't there. He felt panic start to rise within him, but Callum was apparently perceptive. 

"Don't worry, he won't blame you for not having it. He... doesn't have his either." He explained sheepishly. 

Runaan's piercing gaze struck Callum and the human winced. It might have been a very tired look, but the sharp question was still there. 

"R-right well I can explain-!" Callum started, and Runaan already detected the guilt in his voice. "Ahh, so when Rayla and I went to the town we found out she was ghosted or whatever but Ethari could still see her in reflections so he temporarily broke the ghosting of her for him I think?? I don't really get his moon magic works that well-- but we talked to him and he gave his necklace to her and through a series of events she gave it to me but I kinda broke it to see the past so that I could know what happened to the Egg when it was stolen and in the end found out what happened to her parents and that's actually kinda why I was able to free you here today so really please don't be mad because in the end it's what helped you-" Callum shut up as soon as he realized how long he had been talking and shifted his position, his posture stiffening dramatically.

The blast of information was a shock to Runaan. Ethari had ghosted Raylan, but he still helped her. He gave away their matching pendants and it ended up into the hands of this human mage. And how his was lost and his husband's was broken, but it's what allowed him to come back at all.

There was a very thick silence where Callum kept trying to adjust his seating or re-start the conversation but he failed repeatedly and just flumbered around awkwardly. Right when the human was about to speak again, Runaan's hoarse voice spoke first. 

"Of anyone for her to fall in love with, Rayla chose a human." Runaan started, his eyes slowly drifting to where Callum sat. "I do not know you, Callum, but if you can use an Arcanum, free me from my prison, and return the dragon prince, then I think you are the best human she ever could have ever chosen." 

He had never seen anyone blush this brightly from his words aside from Ethari and briefly mused if he should feel guilty for it. After a moment however, he realized it was simply really easy for Callum to become flustered. 

"Right, well. Let's uh, let’s get some sleep. Sooner we rest up the sooner I can WOOSH you back to town! Heh… Though I'll need your help getting in." 

Runaan chuckled just a little and rested his head. Before letting himself sleep, however, he muttered one thing under his breath. "We will just have to make you your own key then." 

He had no idea if Callum heard. 

\---

The next morning consisted of a quick breakfast, pack-up and departure. Callum, despite being a human, already had a natural talent for magic, even more-so than some elves Runaan had known. He wondered how powerful Callum might get. 

"By the way..." Runaan croaked into Callum's ear as they flew, so he could be heard over the wind. "How did you cast a memory spell with my husband's necklace?" 

Callum hummed for a moment, Runaan could feel it in the human's chest. "I met a moon elf named Lujanne at the the moon nexus. She told me I couldn’t cast spells but showed me what the ruins used to look like, and I kind of have great memory for spells so I tried it and it worked, but I needed the power of the moon opal to cast it." Callum explained. "I'm... really sorry I broke your husband's necklace. Even if it was freely given to me." 

Runaan sighed softly and nodded. He forced himself to relax a little, as much as he could while holding on for his life, and remained silent for the rest of the flight back. Calum had cast spells from different elements… who knows what he could do…. 

Soon enough, they landed at the entrance to the town, where the root held the secret key. Runaan slowly let go of Callum once they landed and walked over to the hidden runes of the tree root. He got in position for his ritual dance before bockining Callum over. "If anyone asks what a human is doing here. Just cast a small spell till I can cover you." He muttered, "but I must find Ethari first thing."

"Right, right! Completely understandable. Ethari's house first and foremost!" He replied, getting in position next to Runaan, rather clumsily.

Runaan smiled just a hint. "It's my house too." He said as he started to take the first steps. 

"Oh. Right. That… would make sense." Callym replied absently and he tried to match Runaan's graceful movements. Malnourished as he was, Runaan was still flawless in completing the dance and opening the gate. Soon, buildings and people began to become visible. And to his greatest relief, he could tell he wasn't ghosted. 

He started walking at a brisk pace through the town he knew so well, but once he noticed a crowd by the lotus pond, he decided to take a detour. He assumed they were looking over and discussing the return of his flower, which he wasn't ready to face yet. Thankfully, that left few people to notice him, even in his less than usual attire and company. 

He went straight to the house he knew would wait for him, but he only made it about halfway through the path to the house when his pointed ears picked up a subtle sound; a whisper.

"It's true."

Runaan turned abruptly to the source of the voice and saw his husband standing on an adjacent path. The poor elf was paler than he should be and looked like he saw a ghost, but walked forward just the same. 

"I... think I'm dreaming." He muttered softly. 

Runaan couldn't help the tears welling up. He had lost his ability to remain stoic the past couple of days, and swiftly ran to his husband's arms and clung to him. Thick tears rolled down his cheeks as he tried to hold Ethari ever close to reaffirm it was real. He was clinging probably a little too hard, but he couldn't bring himself to notice or stop. 

"I'd be lying if I didn't think this was a dream as well, but I think it's real, and I couldn't be happier to be in your arms again." Runaan said softly, emotion welling through his voice and tears seeping from the corners of his eyes. He reached up and cupped his husband's face with a single hand, so the other could continue to hold him as close as he could. Slowly, gently, he leaned over to kiss Ethar. 

There was a frozen moment between them, suspense locking their movements as they worried the slighted wrong move would break the spell and wake them up. Before long though, the desperation in their souls for one another took over and they leaned deeper into the kiss, holding onto one another as tight as they could and continuing to return to pecks and kissed all over one another’s faces to keep reaffirming they were really back. That this was real.  
They broke apart at the sound of an awkward cough and Runaan broke the kiss to look back, suddenly recalling his company down here. "Ah, um, Sorry, Callum. I uh, assume you both already met?" He asked, staying within his husband’s hold, hands gripping the thicker arms desperately. 

Ethari looked Callum over and nodded with a smile. "Yes, you are the young human that was helping our little girl. I heard there was a war, did the prince return to his mother?" 

Callum readjusted his posture a bit and shifted to another side of the pathway, his awkwardness showing through again before he nodded. "Yes. Zym is home, and we are still picking up the pieces of the battlefield." 

Runaan suddenly jerked and turned to Callum, nearly scaring the shit out of Ethari at the sudden movement. "You must search for the others. When I was trapped, I am certain the bag I was stored in had been dropped and we were scattered. I know I felt them in there, they must be freed as well. Please find them. Please." 

Ethari had never seen Runaan speak in such a manner. In fact, he had been standing and moving differently, too. Every subtle gesture of the man had changed, and Ethari’s eyes softened when he realized that it was the result of whatever terrible thing Runaan had gone through. Gently, Ethari slid his hands around his husband’s hips and pulled him back against his chest, nuzzling his hair affectionately."Come on, my love, let's go inside. You both must be tired from the journey." He whispered gently. 

Even as Runaan leaned into the hold and words, Callum slowly took a step or two away, still walking stiff and completely awkward. "Not going to lie over here, I’d love to rest, but if you guys want space I can just... ah... camp in the woods."

Ethari gently detached himself from Runaan, making sure to pause and thread their hands together so as to keep them connected before taking a step towards Callum. “My apologies, I do not wish to make you feel uncomfortable, I just… have a hard time believing this isn’t a dream. Regardless, you may rest with us in the house. Besides, it’s best we go inside before the rest of the village notices Runaan's return. It will happen sooner or later, so let's save it for later." 

Runaan nodded and followed Ethari as they walked back to the house, turning and motioning with his free hand for Callum to come with them. Thankfully, the human mage followed and they made it inside the house. Once seated, Ethari provided everyone with some warm cider and biscuits, and sat down on the couch with Runaan sitting practically in his lap. 

Callum sat somewhat awkwardly on a nearby chair, but graciously accepted the food and drink provided. His mind was a bit if a storm, and he felt he shouldn't step through it and disrupt the two elven men on the couch. He couldn't even imagine how they must be feeling right now, so he let his thoughts wander a bit while they caught up. 

Runaan was an emotional mess the whole time. Curled up in Ethari's lap and barely able to hold back the tears at being so happy to be back in Ethari's arms. They whispered to one another in elven and had completely zoned out on each other. 

_"I thought I lost you forever when I saw the flower sink. I saw it bobbing before that too, I was so worried."_ Ethari whispered. 

Runaan curled in tighter. _"I never want to make you feel that pain again. I can't bear it. I was trapped, chained, and the dark wizard swore to find something worse than death itself...."_

Ethari's hold tightened. _"I will not let you fall into anything like that again, I promise. I wont lose you a second time."_

There was a strained silence on Runaan's part, before his voice could barely punch above a whisper. _"He has the mirror."_

They froze, and the shift in the air was noticeable even to Callum. The human reared back out of his thoughts and looked at them with a hint of worry. "What's wrong?"

Ethari looked back to Callum, his expression pained. "It's not over. The dark sorcerer has something that can destroy the world, so dangerous it we kept personally in the Dragon King's Lair. Whatever happened, it's not over yet..." 

Callum's expression hardened. "Then I must tell the others. I need the rest tonight, if you'd allow me to stay. I will leave first thing in the morning." 

Ethari nodded. "You are welcome to stay." He said, though he paused and hipped his head. “And I feel I must thank you. For everything. You are the reason the dragon prince has returned, if you hadn’t helped Rayla, I am not sure if she would make it on her own, and more than that, you free and returned my husband to me. Nothing in the world can pay you back for how much kindness you’ve bestowed upon this family, we will be forever in your debt.” 

Runaan tilted his head back and traced a pattern on his husband’s shirt. “We may have to thank him for more, yet. I wasn’t the only one trapped. Tiadrin and Lain were too, I felt them while I was trapped. They too, live trapped as I did.”

Ethari’s eyes widened and his grip on Runaan tightened. “Y-you’re serious? Wh-what happened?” 

Callum leaned forward after taking another brief sip of the cider and smiled softly at Ethari. “I can explain this one, though it will come with an apology. I cast a lunar spell to make an illusion to recall a historic event in the dragon queen’s nest. I wanted to see what happened the day the egg was stolen, and I did. Tiadrin and Lain fought with other dragoon guards of whether to leave or stay, but they were the only ones to stay. They defended the dragon egg against Viren, the dark mage who intended to destroy it. They convinced him to steal it instead, to keep it alive, and so he did. Everything would have been lost if it wasn’t for those two. They started the quest that saved the world, and Rayla finished it. Then…. Viren sealed them inside of the coins. Because I saw him cast the spell I was able to design a counter spell to bring Runaan back.” 

After the great speech Callum spoke, Runaan’s eyes widened and he clutched to Ethari, who was even more shell shocked. After a moment to let the weight of the words sink in, Runaan uncurled himself and sat up straighter. This was the most confident he looked since returning from the coin, and Callum mentally tallied it in the back of his mind. “Then my statement was even more understated than I thought. Thank you, Callum. You are, without a doubt, the most extraordinary person I have ever been able to meet. I am happy to hear that you were the one Rayla gave the moonstone opal to. You will always be welcome here.” 

Ethari's eyes widened further at the last statement Runaan has said, and leaned into his husband for another hug, a soft whine of happiness escaping the back of the bulkier elf’s throat. “If that was what it was broken for, then… I would say it is worth it.” he finally said, poking his head out from Runaan’s neck.

Callum smiled. “Thank you. I mean, your welcome? Um, both?” he said, fumbling a bit over his words again. 

Runaan smiled. “Both, both is good.” he replied, threading his fingers into Ethari’s again. “I really appreciate what you’ve done. If you need us, we will do anything we can to help, though I know I will need to rest for a while longer yet.” 

Callum nodded, stretched and yawned. “I think I will need some rest, too. After all, you said it isn't over, and I have concerns of my own. I’ll leave tomorrow morning, but I will send a message if anything comes up.”

Ehtari nodded and stood up, Runaan following him for a moment before sitting back down as Ehtari walked to callum. “I’ll show you the guest bedroom, it's just this way.” he explained, showing Callum where to turn and where he can rest. It was a small room on the side of their little house with a single bed, a dresser, a bookshelf full of books and a window. “If you need anything, We will be just down the hall.” He added, pointing to the door at the end of the hallway. 

Callum nodded “thank you very much.” he said before sitting on the bed and taking off his backpack to start unpacking for the night. 

With that done, Ethari returned to his husband on the couch and took him by the hands. _“Don't worry, my love, I am right here. I will not be going anywhere. This is real, you are here with me, and I won’t let you go. Remember, I will love you always, even if the moon isn't there.”_ He whispered in elvish. 

Runaan grasped the hands carefully and quickly closed the distance between them with a hug. Ethari could tell Runaan was hurting from just the way they were hugging, and swiftly swept the taller man into his arms and carried him to the bedroom. He gently lied Runaan on the bed and sat down next to him, taking care in removing his day clothes before laying down with him. 

_“I don't like feeling so helpless and weak.”_ Runaan whispered as they settled in bed together. 

Ethari nuzzled Runaan’s long hair, and raised on hand to comb through it gently, soothingly. _“It's okay, everyone gets hurt, but you are not weak. Any weaker elf would not have made it all the way home to me as you did. For now, relax and let me take care of you this time.”_ he replied. 

Runaan sighed softly and crawled halfway onto Ethari’s bare chest, revelling in the warmth of his partner’s body and snuggling close. _“I’ve missed you so much. I love you.”_

 _“I’ve missed you too. No matter where you go, I will be here for you, flower, or no flower.”_ Ethari whispered back. _“Besides, you did just as you promised. You returned my heart to me._ ”

There was a choked sob from Runaan, but no words came out and Ethari gently shushed and cooed over him. Some things, he knew, would never change between them, and that, if nothing else, was reassuring. With the gentlest motions, Ethari traces Runaan’s markings, recalling them by heart and humming softly a tune they used to sing to Rayla before bed. 

Ethari was never a fighter, but he would protect Runaan to the dead here and now. Nothing will hurt him until he can fight again, and be the beautiful assassin Runaan knew he always will be.


	3. Explanations and Recovery

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> OOPS THERE IS MORE.   
> After returning to Silvergrove, Runaan wants nothing more than to recover next to his husband, but the town won't leave him alone for long. Now he has to explain what happened to everyone and why he isn’t actually dead.

The night was restless but all things considered, it was the best night’s worth of sleep Runaan could have ever asked for and there was only one reason to that; he was home. He was in bed with his husband and after everything that had happened, it was the best feeling in the world to wake up to the warmth the larger body provided, and being able to sprawl out on it. 

Ethari clearly had a similar thought to it, for when the darker skinned elf woke up, he grinned and peppered Runaan’s face with kisses and whispered repeatedly how happy he was to wake up to this and not another empty bed. This was the best possible outcome he could have ever even wished for. 

As the gentle rays of dawn cascaded across the room through the windows, it illuminated the light covered that draped the two elven men, who sluggishly got up from their slumber to greet one another and get ready for morning. Their routine is comfortable, familiar, and unscathed from their time apart. The only minor differences are that Ethari adamantly chose to cook alone this morning and that he had a human under his roof as their third person, rather than Rayla. 

Said human made his way out of the room shortly after Ethari started to cook. He walked out and sat down at the table next to Runaan, though they didn't talk much. Ethari hadn’t said anything yet, but he knew that Runaan was tired, and that the stoic expression he had was only a facade for how he was really feeling. 

Ethari was careful about the meal he made. He made sure, first and foremost, that he had a very healthy and nutritionally rich meal to help Runaan get better. He knew that under the clothes, his husband is in bad shape. He was thin, malnourished and weakened, perhaps even further abused. That was what he assumed happened, after all, the lotus didn’t fall as soon as the others did, it was the most likely scenario. 

Ethari then made a decent meal for the human, careful not to add things that may seem too strange to the diet for human tastes and placed the plates out for the two men at the dining table. His eyes fell to Runaan and something in his chest fell a little. 

Runaan looked up at him and Ethari just smiled, pecked him on the lips and returned to the kitchen to finish his own plate and the dishes. Still, the thought nagging at the back of his mind hadn’t calmed down. What really happened on the mission? He knew it would be a bad idea to ask in front of guests, so he kept quiet throughout breakfast. 

There were simple pleasantries throughout the morning as they ate and said their goodbyes to Callum, who performed magic in front of Ethari and shocked him next. He smiled at Runaan as soon as the human mage flew off from the path in front of their house, and slipped his arm around Runaan’s waist. “I feel like I should have figured he could use magic, talking about spells like he did, but wow, that was not what I was expecting at all.” 

Runaan chuckled, and the sound was a fan on the flame of Ethari’s soul, breathing life into him and making his love grow ever greater. But that fanning was short-lived, as Runaan turned in his arms and raised a hand to his chin, grabbing his attention and forcing him to look right at his husband. “Now tell me what’s wrong.” Runaan whispered. 

Ethari searched Runaan’s face for a moment before his shoulders sagged and he led them both back in the house, back to the couch they loved to snuggle on. “There’s nothing…. Wrong, really. I just… I want to know what happened. No one knows what happened on that mission, why Rayla got away, what happened with you, the king, the prince…” 

Runaan looked thoughtful for a moment and Ethari could tell the words started to spill out of his mouth before he was ready to voice them, since he was lost in thought even as he spoke. “The king has died, but the prince lives. I should have lost my arm, and Rayla her hand but… we didn’t. The dragon prince removed our bindings.” he said slowly, before focusing on Ethari. “I never liked humans, but something is changing. The dragon prince likes them, _Rayla_ likes them.” 

Ethari smiled a little. “Well, I have heard there is an exception to every rule, perhaps today they are the exception, but maybe they can make that the rule. Does that make sense?” He asked. 

Runaan was quiet for a moment before shrugging. “I think so.” he said, before turning and snuggling up to his husband some more. 

“Anyway…” Runaan said with a sigh. “Rayla couldn't kill a scout before the mission started and it compromised the mission. I told her to stay out of it and… she didn’t and went into the castle where she met the two human boys with the egg. She tried to convince me otherwise but we already made the bond so I kept going. The 5 of us, without her, made it to the king’s chamber but it was more difficult than usual because they expected us. We fought hard, and I managed to kill the king and send the letter but…. I was the only survivor.” 

Runaan’s entire body radiated the irritation and fear and agony over what happened as he recalled the situation and Ethari could feel Runaan sinking further and further against him, so he wrapped his arms around the lean elf and pulled him into his lap. He was quiet for a moment before he continued. 

“... I told them to kill me, but they didn’t. They took me prisoner and tried to get me to talk. They tried bribing me with fruits, torturing me with dark magic… I refused to eat and my arm was getting cut off. I was ready to die. He said he heard about my lack of a fear of death and vowed to search for something to fear more than death. Then he showed me the mirror… the coins with _their_ faces in it. I felt fear, and then he trapped me.” Runaan’s voice grew softer and softer as he spoke and he sighed at the last words, curling into his husband’s muscular chest. 

Ethari hugged Runaan for as long as he needed it. They sat there together for a while, Ethari tracing absentminded patterns all around Runaan’s arms, legs, chest, wherever he could easily reach and gently caress. Thankfully, this was helping quite a bit, and Runaan started to calm down a bit.

As he was snuggling into Ethari’s shoulder and neck, his body finally lost some of the tension Ethari knew has been holed up since they saw each other again, probably since far before that. 

“It was weird…” Runaan muttered into the skin of his husband’s neck. “When I was in the coin, my senses were all jumbled. It's like, if I reached out to touch someone it was with my mind rather than the body. There is a sensation of physical entrapment but… there was more to it. I couldn't tell the time of day or how much time had passed… but I could somehow sense the other trapped elves nearby.” 

There was a quiet moment between them yet again as Ethari continued to rub circles into his love’s back and shoulders. “Maybe it's a magic thing?” He mused out loud. He only got a hum from Runaan for his comment but figured story time was about don't for the day. Regardless, He was still going to sit here and just keep holding Runaan. 

This went on for several minutes until a knocking came at the door, and Ethari had to slide Runaan from his lap and give him a little kiss on the forehead. "I will be right back, I promise." He whispered. 

When Ethari reached the door he opened it to see a familiar face who came by the forge a lot and smiled. "Ah, Hello Aloriun, nice of you to visit. What's up?" He asked casually. 

Aloriun, a slim moonshadow elf with pale skin, sporadic markings, and a high white ponytail, gave a small, polite bow. "I was just… worried Ethari. Every morning you come to the pond and check on the lotuses, even if they already fell. We know that Runaan's lotus returned to the surface, I assumed you would be checking ever more feverishly, but we haven't seen you at all today." 

Ethari winced a little at hearing this and nodded. "Right, right, I understand. Well… truth is Runaan is already home, he was escorted by one of the heroes who returned the dragon prince to the queen. He wasn't dead… just trapped." He said as briefly as he could. 

The slim elf's eyes widened and he took another bow, a deeper one. "Congratulations on your loved one returning. Although, everyone else should be informed as well. Can he come out?" 

Ethari glanced back towards the couch where Runaan was sprawled over the arm of it, watching Ethari with interest. There was a silent pause, Ethari was sure Runaan could hear the conversation, and after a moment turned back to Aloriun with a tight lipped smile. "He may be feeling better in the evening, the whole situation has taken its toll on him." 

Aloriun nodded and turned to walk away but paused. "Should we do it, say… around 3 PM?" He called out. 

Elthari hardened his gaze. "Five." Was all he said before closing the door.

With a sigh he returned to the couch, dropping down and sprawling across the opposite side from Runaan, who scooted over to lay across Ethari's chest. "I don't mind doing it at 3." Runaan mused. 

"I wouldn't mind doing it next week instead. I want you to rest for a while first. You…" There was a pause and a sigh as Ethari caressed Runaan across his jawline, down his chest, and then around his ribs, where a lot of the bruising and malnourishment were most evident. "I don't want you to get hurt any more than is necessary." He muttered. 

Runaan shuddered at the delicate touch, torn between leaning into the large, gentle hands and leaning away, not wanting his weaknesses to be pressed into the man he loved. This plight was seen clearly by Ethari though, who firmly wrapped his hand around Runaan's waist and pulled him down for a deep kiss. 

The sheer feeling of being pulled into that kiss in such a way played notes along Runaan's heartstrings and he moaned at how good it felt to be able to just embrace Ethari again. He let his palms slide up Ethari's well built abdomen and across his chest, slipping past his shoulders to wrap around his neck. Runaan melted into the kiss and keened when Ethari's hands slid up his thighs, his legs trembling at the sheer need that pulsated through his system to be closer to his lover. 

But the roaming hands slid gently past his hips and up across his back, curling around his shoulders to gently pull him away from the warm and inviting lips he adored so much. "Ethari…" he breathed, eyes hazy. 

Ethari looked up at him with longing written all over his face but continued to pull them apart, just far enough that they weren't molding together like they had before. "Runaan my love, we shouldn't. You need to recover and I'm not going to hinder that by exerting your body." He whispered. 

Runaan whined a little but still settled to just cling to Ethari's arm. "I'm fine, I'm… capable of handling these things…. If nothing else." He replied, caressing the entire length of the dark skinned arm he hugged. 

Ethari shuddered at the caresses. He wanted to devour Runaan desperately, but more than that, he wanted Runaan to get better, return to health and gain back his lost confidence. It was not too long ago that Runaan was the one who would pull Ethari aside and kiss him against a wall until his sight started to turn white. It wasn't all that long ago when Runaan would take control of any given situation, really. He’d curse out a bad customer, or even take initiative on spontaneous situations. 

What was curled up on him now was a Runaan who was stripped of a lot of that, feeling desperate and dependent. Ethari knew that wasn't what he really wanted… But how would he go about helping him?

He continued to cuddle with Runaan anyway, and they would whisper sweet nothings or talk about things that have been happening on either side, pausing for little things like restroom breaks, snacks, and moving to the bed for a while to rest some more. They stayed in each other’s arms for the better part of 7 hours in that time, which was peaceful and relaxing after everything that's happened. 

Before Ehtari knew it, the time had reached about 4 PM, and Runaan had slipped out of bed. When he wasn’t returning in a short period of time, Ethari stood to see him at the closet and pulled on some simple day clothes. Quietly, Ethari stood and padded over on bare feet, lifting a hand to trace the edges of Runaan’s spine at the nape of his neck, looking at him fondly from where he stood. “You really shouldn’t push yourself for them.” he said softly. 

Runaan closed his eyes and shook his head slowly. “It's not for them, it's for me. I have to push myself or I won't get better in a reasonable time.” he replied, pulling the rest of his clothes on and turning around. “Besides, you’ll be there with me, right? If it gets to be too much, you can take me home.” he added, sliding his arms around Ethari’s neck. 

The darker skinned elf released a soft sigh but smiled. “Of course, by your side, always.” he replied, before moving to the closet to get changed as well. Soon, they both were exiting the front door and trekking down the path that led towards the lotus pond. There were far less people here than there usually were, but the talk about Runaan’s flower resurfacing had been the talk of the grove, so there was still a bit of a crowd. 

Upon returning, Ethari kept one hand on Runaan’s hip as they walked, holding him close and not wanting to let go of him with everyone else buzzing around them curiously. As they approached, however, the crowd easily parted, and Runaan leaned over the pond a bit to look at the two floating lilies.

The air had gone quiet as he became both of them over and had one in each hand, looking at them fondly before looking at everyone else. “These lilies are a reflection of our life force. When we are sent out, we place them here so that our community and loved ones can know if we will return home safely. My lily sank, but a few days ago it resurfaced, so I will tell you all what has happened.” Runaan said. His voice was scratchy as he projected it, and Ethari’s hand rested on his shoulder in worry, but the man stood tall as he addressed the other moonshadow elves. 

The crowd waited in bated breaths, squirming a little as many tried to get a better look at Runaan. From children to adults, warriors to mages, everyone wanted to see the man who supposedly came back from the dead. 

After taking a deep breath, Runaan looked back at the crown solemnly. “The night we went out for our mission, something went wrong and the soldiers of the human kingdom knew we were coming. We battled long and hard, and soon the king was felled, so I sent the message home. When the rest of us fell, Rayla went to go after the prince. She encountered the prince with the egg of the dragon prince, and despite our vows to kill the human prince, she went with them to return the egg to the queen.” He started. 

The crowd gasped and moved at the story, but clearly they were hooked for not a single elf had tried to interrupt him. 

Runaan looked down at the flowers in the pond for a moment before continuing. “I should have been killed at the tower, I had been injured too much to fight, but they refused. I was taken prisoner, and when they found their attempts to gather information futile, a dark wizard trapped me inside of a token. I was cut off from the rest of the world, not alive, not dead. I presume that was when my lily sank.” he said, looking down at the flowers, seeing the light in their centers glowing brightly.

“When I was returned, it was at the Dragon Queen’s nest. I had learned that the egg had hatched, and our dragon prince, Azymondias, removed the binding on her wrist. He approved of the human Prince’s life, and removed mine as well when I was returned.” Runaan continued, looking back up at everyone. “I… am positive you all had ghosted Rayla when my flower sank, but I ask that you undo it. She, more than anyone, was loyal to the dragon queen. She’s…” Runaan started to slump a little and Ethari caught him against his chest, providing a place for Runaan to rest. 

The crowd broke into whispers and Ethari was the nest to speak up loudly. “Runaan’s been through a lot and still needs to rest. I know you all must be curious, but give him some time first.” he said. He was about to turn and walk Runaan home when he felt his husband stay stubbornly where he stood and sight softly. “I request as well for Rayla to no longer be ghosted. She could explain this better than anyone from experience.” he added, only a hint quieter than before. 

When Runaan tried stubbornly to stay at the pond, Ethari grabbed him around the waist, that he found to be thinner than he would have liked, and pulled Runaan up and over his shoulder to literally carry him home. Runaan put up some fight, but in the end sagged and allowed himself to be carried off. Conversation exploded behind the two of them but Ethari paid it no mind. His only priority was getting Runaan back to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought I was done but I lied, to myself.

**Author's Note:**

> I literally binged the entire series of this AND wrote the entirely of this in about 24 hours. I have no life anymore.


End file.
